Want to Know What Really Goes on at Your Child’s School?
We all want better education for our kids. But there seems to be a major disconnect between the politicians that get to set the rules for schools, the educators having to enact...
Substitute Teaching
Okay, I prefer the title part-time teacher nomad. Here I document my adventures, misfortunes and tips on substitute teaching while balancing motherhood and various other life undertakings. Take a look!
Why Subbing is Great for the Family Building Phase
My focus in the past few years has shifted. For so long I was a people-pleasing career builder, grasping to be the perfect teacher. (Can you tell I was a straight A-...
5 Habits for Saner Substitute Teaching
"I know..." she shook her head and mustered a pitying smile at me when I suggested substitute teaching as means for occasional extra income while raising little ones. "I just could not...
What It’s Really Like Subbing as a Former Teacher
"Nice try-- I was born at night, but not last night," I explain coyly to a student trying to pull a fast one on me. How, you ask, are you a substitute...
A List of the Best Substitute Teacher Quotes
Surely you've seen various mementos and trinkets cutely embellished with quotes like "Teaching is a work of heart" or "Teachers who love teaching teach children to love learning." Maybe you've wondered, like...
How to Pump Breastmilk as a Substitute Teacher
In the throes of a time-bending newborn haze, among sinks full of bottles and tops and pump parts, during a remixed sleep schedule and learning all of the exciting features of your...
Should You Aim to Be a Tough Substitute Teacher?
As teaching in general is pummeled with more and more challenges, the difficulties for a substitute are that much more magnified. Classroom teachers don't think their students are giving them a modicum...
How A Substitute Can Respond to “But Our Teacher…”
If you step in to take over a brand new classroom for a day, you'll likely run into the number one thing students inevitably bring up: "But our teacher lets us..." "That's...
How to Redirect Students Without Saying a Word
It's no myth that teachers often lose their voice during the school year. By October, those tired vocal folds seem to go on strike. That's why I like to use this strategy...
The First-Year Teachers Are Not Okay: Why It’s So Difficult
My first year of teaching, nearly a decade ago, wins the award for the most challenging year of my career by a dumpster fire landslide. Though I hold so many special and...
20+ Ways Teachers Can Beat the Sunday Scaries
My first year teaching-- now almost a decade ago-- I distinctly remember the overwhelming feeling of dread I had preparing to go back to teach after a glorious weeklong respite for Thanksgiving....
How to Get Students to Follow Directions With One Word
Tired of apparently giving directions to the abyss? There's one word that carries a lot of heft. In fact, it's quite magical once you've completed the setup. But it does take a...